Ghosts From the Past
by Genevieve Kelly
Summary: Ghosts from his past comes back to haunt Starsky and little by little, things become worse as Hutch does whatever he can to not only protect his partner from what is trying to hurt him, but also from the men in Internal Affairs who have it out for him. Unfortunately, Statsky is kidnapped before Hutch can get to him and he must work with Huggy and Dobey to save his closest friend.
1. Chapter 1

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter One

Around six o'clock in the evening on a Friday night, the two street detectives stood at a gate inside the city's airport waiting to pick up a much unexpected arrival. Two days before, Detective Ken Hutchinson, or Hutch as most people called him thanks to his partner, David Starsky, received a call from his father, who still lived in Duluth, Minnesota, to tell his son he would be visiting San Francisco for work and that he hoped to be able to stop by Bay City for a visit.

The truth was, Hutch and his father were not very close, due to the fact that Hutch had decided to drop medical school and leave home for becoming a cop in California. When he found out his father wanted to visit him, he wasn't thrilled. Starsky, on the other hand, was a little curious to meet the man and was happy to poke fun at his partner's discomfort, as he knew the blond man would be if the roles were reversed.

Captain Dobey had given both Hutch and Starsky the night off so that they would be able to spend the evening with the man. Hutch wasn't entirely sure he was grateful for the gesture. A part of him wished he had work as an excuse, so that he wouldn't have to suffer through an uncomfortable evening. However, he was grateful that his partner and best friend was willing to be right there beside him as he always was.

About ten after the hour, men, women, and children began to come out of the gate and within five minutes, Hutch spotted his father, who was wearing a very expensive suit. Hutch had come from a very wealthy family, thanks to his father and grandfather, among farther generations, all being doctors. This explained why his father wished his son had followed in his footsteps. Instead, he had become a cop; a detective, who was paid very little and worked among the filthy and frightening streets. This was not a life Kenneth Hutchinson Senior was very proud of his only child for.

"Hello, Dad," Hutch spoke first as he walked over and stood in front of the man before him. "It's good to see you again. It's been a while. How are you and Mom?"

"We are good, Ken," he replied. "Thank you. It looks like you appear to be well too. Your mother will be very happy to hear it. I thought we were going to spend some time alone together this evening. Who is this?"

As his father stared at his partner, Hutch answered, "I'm sorry. Dad, this is my partner, Detective Sergeant David Starsky. I've written you and Mom about him. I wanted you to meet him and he's pretty excited to meet you too."

As Starsky stuck out his hand for a hand shake, he responded, "It's a pleasure to meet you finally, Sir. It is good to meet the man responsible for raising the proper, health nut, and freakishly smart, Ken Hutchinson."

"Yes, I see," Hutchinson Senior replied without responding to the hand gesture and then began to act like Starsky was no longer there. "Ken, is there a nice restaurant we could go to for dinner? I am famished."

"There's actually this great spot called The Pitts, where we go to all…" Starsky began to say before he was gently cut off by his partner.

Hutch said, "Sorry, Starsk. I don't think that The Pitts is the kind of place my father had in mind. He's used to something a little different. If you still want to come with us, it'll be my treat."

Hutch's father responded, "No offense to your friend, Son, but I was hoping to talk with you in private tonight. I am only here for a few days and I…"

"Offense taken, Dad," Hutch interrupted angrily. "Starsky's not only my partner, but he's my best friend and I wanted him to join us tonight. I wanted you to get to know him. Instead, you've been rude and are acting like he isn't even here."

"It's all right, Hutch," Starsky answered. "I get it. If you want me to join you, I'm here. Otherwise, I can find something else to do tonight. I am sure there a few lovely ladies looking for a handsome guy to dance with."

Hutch's father replied, "That's all right. If you wish to join us, you can."

Starsky began to walk away as he responded, "Great! I'll go get my car ready while the two of you catch up. See you in a few."

"Why were you so rude to him?" Hutch asked as they slowly walked in the direction of the parking garage. "Is it because he grew up on the streets and he's not proper like you or me? Starsky's like a brother to me. He's saved my life countless times and he's taught me a lot."

"I can see this," the man answered. "He's made you turn into a boy I hardly recognize anymore."

"I'm a man who has chosen to make his own decisions," Hutch answered firmly. "I left home and became a cop because I did not want to grow to be like you. Unless you can apologize to my partner and treat him better, we will drop you off at your hotel and you can forget about spending any more time with me. I know I promised Mom that I would try to get along this time, but I won't do it at my partner's expense."

As they stepped outside the airport, Starsky was getting out of the driver's seat of his red and white striped Torino, but he was staring off at something in the distance and before Hutch could call out to him, Starsky suddenly took off running at full speed toward whatever it was he was looking at.

Hutch shouted, "Starsk? Starsky! Dad, get in the car and stay there. I'm going after him."

Hutchinson Senior stared as his son ran off after his partner and got into the passenger's seat to wait for them to return. He found that Detective Starsky was very odd and he could not understand what made him and his son such close friends, as they were both very different people.

When Hutch finally caught up with his partner, he appeared to be searching frantically for something that was no longer anywhere in sight. Hutch saw that his friend had become completely pale. It was a look he didn't see on him very often and it troubled him to see it now.

Hutch was the first to speak as he asked, "What's wrong, Starsk? Are you all right?"

When Starsky turned to face him finally, he saw real fear in his eyes as he quickly asked, "Did you see that guy? It can't be."

"What can't be?" Hutch tried again. "I didn't see anyone, Starsky. Who did you think you saw?"

"No one," Starsky replied as he began to walk back toward his car. "I must have lost my mind for a second there. It couldn't have been him. Sorry to leave you and your dad like that. He must really think I'm crazy now. I never meant to give him a reason to."

Hutch put his hand on his partner's shoulder gently and responded, "Don't worry about my dad. You look like you've just seen a ghost, Buddy. Talk to me."

Starsky shook his head and answered, "I promise you, it's nothing. However, if you don't mind, I think I'm just going to head home for the night. I'm a bit more tired than I thought. I guess my head's telling me I need more sleep. I'll drop you off at the station so you can pick up your car."

When the two detectives made it back to the car, Hutch's father asked, "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine, Sir," Starsky replied as he sat down in the driver's seat. "I am sorry about that. I thought I saw someone, but I was wrong. I'm going to drop you and Hutch off at the police station where we work so that he can get his car. I'm gonna head home to get some sleep. I'm more tired than I realized."

"We don't usually get a whole lot of sleep between chasing down the bad guys and trying to have a social life," Hutch continued in order to draw his father's focus away from his friend. "I'll take you out to this great Italian restaurant I know of and we can have that talk after all."

The drive to the station was unusually quiet. Starsky and Hutch usually bantered back and forth about frivolous things, but neither one of them were in the mood to talk anymore. Starsky had tried to reassure Hutch that he was fine, but the blond couldn't shake the fact that he knew his partner was lying to him, just so that his evening with his father wasn't ruined.

As they arrived back at the station and both Hutch and his father got out of the car, Starsky called out to his friend before driving away as he said, "I'll see you in the morning, Hutch. Have some fun tonight, would ya?"

Hutch gave him an uneasy smile just as he sped off and then turned back to his father, who finally spoke up asking, "Is Detective Starsky usually spooked this easily?"

"We see a lot of bad things on these streets, but no, he's not usually like this," Hutch responded. "So, our Captain is probably still here, if you would like to meet him. He's a good man."

"I'd like that," Hutchinson Senior answered. "Then, Italian sounds good."

"Great," the detective replied. "Let's go."

Hutch gave his father a tour through the precinct before he met up with Dobey. He tried to shake off the bad feeling that what happened tonight wasn't something he should shrug off so easily and that something much worse was coming, but he couldn't. He thought about telling Dobey about it, but then, there wasn't much to tell. Hutch never saw the guy Starsky had chased after. So, he decided that as soon as he dropped off his dad at his hotel in town, he would head over to his partner's home and check to make sure he was really all right.


	2. Chapter 2

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Two

Starsky made it home to his apartment just outside the city about twenty-five minutes later. As he drove, he tried to reassure himself that he was tired as he had told his partner, but he was shaken and deep down, he knew that something was wrong. Was he losing his mind? Maybe, but then if he really saw who he thought he had, things were only going to get worse and Starsky wasn't sure which he preferred to have happen to him, or not to have happen to him in this case.

This question was answered for him as soon as he stepped through the door and switched on his living room lights. Starsky found that his apartment had been broken into and trashed, but what drew his eyes was the body of a man laid out on his couch and from the smell and the condition of the body, Starsky could tell that the man had been dead for at least a week.

His first instinct was to pull out his gun as he slowly walked throughout the rest of the apartment to make sure the intruder was no longer there and that he was not in any immediate danger. As he saw that it was clear, he re-holstered his gun and turned back to the body.

Starsky felt sick, but he refused to give into the nausea fighting to come up. He pulled the collar of his shirt over his nose and mouth and slowly moved closer to the body in order to see if he recognized who this man was. He thought if he could, then it might explain why whoever killed him would have broken in to dump him in his apartment.

As he looked closely, he found that the man's face had been severely beaten and the body was way too decomposed for him to make out any distinguishing marks. He was going to have to wait for the coroner's report to come back, hopefully with some answers. It was then that Starsky suddenly remembered that he needed to call this in to his department. He only hoped that Captain Dobey would still be in the office. It was a little after seven o'clock in the evening and chances were that the man would already be on his way home to his family.

As he dialed the phone and the other end of the line picked up, Starsky was the first to speak as he said, "This is Detective Sergeant Starsky. I need you to send a coroner and officers to my apartment as soon as possible. I've got a 10-54 and need assistance. Is Captain Dobey still there?"

The dispatcher on the other end replied, "_Yes Sir, Detective. He's still here. I'll inform him of the situation right away. Good luck!_"

As soon as the dispatcher got off the phone, Starsky stepped out of his apartment to wait for Dobey and the officers. The sight and smell was too much for him to wait inside. Once he stepped out, Starsky slowly sat down on the top step of the stairway and tried to think, but his mind was muddled. It was then that he noticed he was shaking, which made him think about how his partner must have felt when Hutch had found his ex-wife's body on the floor of his apartment.

Meanwhile…

Once Hutch had finished showing his father the department, he guided the older man to his Captain's office and knocked on the door. When his friend shouted for him to come in, he opened the door and entered, followed by his father.

"Hutchinson, what on earth are you doing here?" Captain Dobey asked crossly. "I thought I sent you and Starsky out to meet up with your father, which I see you brought him here. Mr. Hutchinson, it is an honor to meet the father of one of my top detectives. Hutch, why didn't you tell me you were bringing him by?"

"I'm sorry, Captain, but I wasn't exactly expecting to," Hutch answered. "Our plans kind of changed a bit suddenly tonight."

Dobey looked around and then asked, "Where's your partner? I thought you two picked him up together in his car?"

Hutch responded, "We did, but something came up and Starsky decided he needed to head home to get some sleep. He really hasn't gotten much lately. He dropped us off here so that I could pick up my car and I figured I'd show him around and introduce him to you."

"I'm glad you did," Dobey replied.

"My son has spoken highly of you, Captain Dobey," Hutchinson Senior finally spoke. "It is good to know that he has someone to put him in his place when he needs to be disciplined properly. I can imagine you must have to often, along with Detective Starsky. He's an odd young man."

Hutch rolled his eyes as he said, "Dad, please!"

Dobey was about to speak up again, until there was suddenly an impatient knock on the door. Dobey called out for whoever it was to come in and they saw it was one of the dispatchers he had hired some time ago.

She quickly spoke up as she entered saying, "I'm sorry to interrupt, Captain Dobey, Sir, but…Oh, hi Hutch! I didn't realize you were still here, but it's a good thing you are. I just received an urgent call from Starsky, who seemed really rattled. He asked for me to send out a coroner and officers to his apartment. He called in a 10-54."

"I'm on my way right now," Hutch said as he quickly moved to the door. "Dad, I'm sorry, but you'll need to get a ride back to the hotel with one of the officers. Sweetheart, can you make sure that happens?"

"Sure thing, Hutch," the young woman answered.

Hutch's father objected as he responded, "I'm going with you, Ken. Your partner asked for a coroner, which means that a 10-54 stands for a dead body. Am I right? I want to know what he's about to get you into."

Hutch angrily replied, "I don't have time to argue with you, Dad! This is none of your business. I suggest you go back to the hotel and then leave town tomorrow."

"I am afraid this is police business, Sir," Captain Dobey answered trying to help his friend. "There is no place for a civilian at a crime scene."

Hutchinson Senior finally conceded. Hutch rushed out the door and ran to his car. All he cared about was getting to his friend to make sure he was all right. A dead body inside one of their home's, they could deal with together, as they had done once before when it had been Hutch in the hot seat.


	3. Chapter 3

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Three

Hutch made it to his partner's apartment in record time and as soon as he pulled up, he saw Starsky sitting at the top of the stairway, with his head in his hands. However, as soon as Hutch pulled up and started running toward him, Starsky stood and met him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hutch, what on earth are you doing here?" Starsky asked. "I mean, how'd you know to come here?"

"I decided to introduce my dad to Dobey and was in the office when the dispatcher barged in to tell us that you called in a dead body," Hutch answered as he placed his hands on both of his friend's shoulders. "What happened? Are you all right?"

Starsky nodded and replied, "I'm fine. I came home to find my apartment had been trashed and laid out on my couch, is the body of some guy who is unrecognizable thanks to a major work over. It looks like he's been dead at least a week. The smell is awful!"

As soon as the two stepped back inside Starsky's apartment, Hutch quickly put his shirt's collar over his nose and mouth, as Starsky did as well, and as they looked at the body he responded, "Ugh, you're telling me! You said you can't tell who this guy is?"

"No, his face is too badly smashed together and the decomposition makes it impossible to look for any distinguishing marks," Starsky answered.

"Do you think that this has something to do with the person you saw earlier at the airport?" Hutch asked.

"I told you," Starsky stated firmly. "I am not sure I actually saw anyone earlier, but I'm telling you, it can't be him. It's not possible."

Hutch looked at his partner with concern in his eyes as he said just as firmly, "Please talk to me, Starsk. I want to help you, but I can't if you shut me out now."

Before he could answer, Captain Dobey and the other officers, as well as the coroner, all walked into his apartment and got started on their duties, which were to close off the crime scene and take care of the body. Starsky and Hutch both stepped inside Starsky bedroom in order to continue their talk, while Dobey barked out orders and took charge over their new case.

"Back when I was with the U.S. Army, there was this dirtbag I knew, who was a real thug, who enjoyed paralyzing people with fear in order to make himself feel like he was superior to everyone else," Starsky began. "His name was Arvin Nicholson. My buddy and I eventually learned to just stay clear of the guy and not try to pick a fight with him. Actually, my buddy was better with avoiding the fights. You know me."

"Yeah," Hutch chuckled softly as he agreed.

Starsky continued, "Anyway, we both knew something was very wrong with the guy, but we never could figure out what it was, until one night, when we saw him sneaking out of our camp. My friend and I followed the guy to an old, broken down factory and caught him working with a couple of bigger guys as they tortured this Vietnamese guy and his wife to try to get information about the whereabouts of some well hidden and dangerous Communist group. There were other people they had captured, including children that they tortured for the information as well. What Nicholson was doing was wrong and I knew that I needed to stop them. I tried to convince my superior of what was going on and eventually, my buddy and I led him and a group of soldiers back to the factory, where we finally set the survivors free and my superior had Arvin and his men arrested. Nicholson was angry, especially with me, and he swore he would make my buddy and me pay for stopping his progress to help our side to win the war faster. A year later, my superior told me he had learned that Nicholson had been stabbed to death in the prison he and his pals were at. Nicholson is who I thought I saw tonight, but he's dead, Hutch. There's no way it was him."

Hutch asked, "Is there anyway your superior was wrong about Nicholson being killed?"

"Sergeant Rice said that he had gone to the prison to verify what he had been told," Starsky replied. "He said he saw his body. I trust the man. What reason would have to lie to me about something like this?"

"You should call the man tomorrow morning just to be safe," Hutch answered. "Maybe you're right about not even seeing Nicholson tonight. It could have been someone else you saw. Whoever it was who did this. Don't worry, we'll figure this out as we always do."

Starsky responded, "I'm not sure where Rice is anymore. I'm not sure how to get in touch with him."

Captain Dobey walked into the room and replied, "Leave finding the man to me. I heard most of your story, Starsky. We'll find out the truth. Meanwhile, you and Hutch work on figuring out who killed our dead guy like it was a regular case. Keep an eye on your partner, Hutch. If someone out there is trying to hurt him, you best be sharp."

"Will do, Captain," Hutch answered.

"So, someone out there is trying to kill your partner and decides to plant a body in his apartment to scare him and he wants to put you right in harm's way?" Hutch's father asked as he walked over to look at the body on Starsky's couch after walking in from outside.

Hutch looked at his father surprisingly as he asked, "Dad, what are you doing here? I told you to let one of the officers at the station give you a ride back to the hotel."

The older man responded, "I told them I would take a taxi and decided to come here instead. I wanted to know what you were getting yourself into."

"For your information, Sir," Starsky began to say angrily. "I never want to see your son put in harm's way, especially because of me, but the two of us are cops because we fight to protect the people in this city from psychos like the one after me right now. We also fight to protect each other. If anything were to happen to him because of me, I would never forgive myself, but I am good at what I do, just as your son is. I don't know what I did to tick you off and to get you to hate me, but rest assured, nothing will happen to him as he tries to help me solve this case."

As soon as Starsky finished saying this, he walked away in frustration from them and left the apartment to sit in his car. Hutch watched his partner leave and then turned back around to face his father.

"None of this is Starsky's fault," Hutch said firmly. "I cannot believe you are treating the man whom I consider my brother like a criminal. I want you on the next flight out of here. I am ordering you as a cop. If you disobey me again, I'll have you escorted to a prison cell until this is all over."

"And I'll back him up one hundred percent," Captain Dobey added.

Hutchinson Senior replied, "Very well, if that is how you feel. I expect a call from you when this is over; for your mother's sake. She will want to know you're all right."

Hutch nodded as he answered, "I'll do it for her. Goodbye, Dad."

He then went outside after his partner and leaned down on the driver's side window to talk with him as he said, "I'm sorry about my father, Starsk. I never thought he would treat you like this. It isn't fair that he is taking his anger of me becoming a cop out on you."

"It's ok, Buddy," Starsky responded. "He isn't the only man I knew who was like that. My Uncle Thomas was an old geezer too."

"Did you actually meet this uncle?" Hutch asked.

"No, he died in World War II," Starsky answered as he began to laugh.

Hutch began to laugh too as he replied, "You know, I am beginning to think you're making these uncles of yours up. Did you know any of your parents' brothers or sisters or did they all die in some battle or war?"

Starsky thought for a moment and then responded, "Now that you mention it, I never did. I'm beginning to think my parents were the ones who lied.

"Come on," Hutch said as he chuckled. "Why don't you follow me back to my place and you can stay on my couch until this is all over. Maybe I'll even give you the bed."

"Thanks Hutch," Starsky said sincerely. "And don't blame yourself for your father. Aside from being too smart and health conscious, you're nothing like him."


	4. Chapter 4

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Four

The next morning, Starsky and Hutch arrived at the police department in order to speak with Captain Dobey about the case and what their next move was going to be. However, when they walked into their captain's office, they found Agents Simonetti and Dryden from Internal Affairs waiting for them.

Starsky was the first to speak as he said sarcastically, "Well, I knew you two would be showing your ugly mugs at some point, but you certainly don't waste any time, do you? Tell me, you're excited to be here again, aren't you?"

Simonetti smirked as he answered, "Hello, Starsky. I told you I'd be seeing you again soon. Excited isn't exactly the word I'd use, but if I find you're guilty this time, I wouldn't be disappointed."

"You're not going to find he's guilty, dirtbag!" Hutch replied angrily as he grabbed Simonetti by the front of his jacket and shoved him up against Dobey's desk.

"Stand down, Hutchinson!" Dobey shouted. "I don't want either of you two to antagonize these agents again. Just do your jobs as I know that Simonetti and Dryden will do as well. Am I right, Simonetti?"

The IA agent responded, "Yes, Sir."

Hutch spoke up again saying, "The man found in Starsky's apartment was placed in there while he was with me. Both of us were at work all day and went straight to the airport to pick up my father, who had come into town briefly. He didn't get home until after seven o'clock, which is when he discovered the body. The man has yet to be identified and has been dead for at least a week. There is no motive here. Whoever put the body there, is either trying to frame my partner, or scare him for some sick purpose. I will not allow either of you to do to him, what you tried to do to me. Do I make myself clear?"

Dryden answered, "We will see where our investigation takes us and do what we see fit. And Starsky, believe me, I will not allow you to make a fool of me like you did the last time we met. We will be watching you closely."  
>"I am sure you will," Starsky replied. "Can we speak with you without these two yahoos, Captain?"<p>

"Of course," Dobey responded. "I want the two of you out of my office, Dryden; Simonetti."

As they walked toward the door and were about to leave, Simonetti looked back and glared at Starsky as he said, "Be seeing you, Starsky."

As soon as they were gone, Hutch turned to Dobey and shouted, "You know Starsky's innocent, Captain! Why are they even here?"

"You know the answer to that, Hutch?" Dobey replied. "Internal Affairs come in whenever something like this happens that concerns one of us."

"But why does it have to be Simonetti and Dryden?" Hutch asked again.

"Because the two of you managed to tick them off and they would love to be the ones to take you down if they get the chance," Dobey answered. "That being said, how are you doing this morning, Starsky?"

Starsky looked between Hutch and their Captain as he responded, "I'm fine, Captain. Do you have any idea how long it will be until the coroner has an id on the body?"

Captain Dobey replied, "I had them put a rush on the results, but who knows how long before we find out anything. What are you two planning?"

Hutch answered, "We're going to meet with Huggy at The Pitts to see if he has any information for us and then we're going to give Starsky's old army captain a call, that is if you managed to locate his number and location for us?"

"Why do you think I'm in my office this early in the morning for?" Dobey responded as he handed Hutch a piece of paper with the information they were looking for. "Keep in touch and be careful. Oh, and don't do anymore to tick those two off. You may drive them crazy enough to become dirty and then you'll really be in trouble."

"Thank you, Captain," Starsky said as he and Hutch walked out of the office.

About a half hour later, the two detectives pulled up in front of The Pitts in Starsky's car. When they arrived inside, they found Huggy and Anita working to get the bar cleaned up before it opened again in a few hours.

As they entered, Anita looked over at them and said "Hello, Sugars! Aren't you two up a bit early this morning? What can I get for ya?"

Huggy answered for them saying, "Anita, you can get them two Huggy Bear breakfast specials."

"I don't need you to get anything for me this morning, Sweetheart," Starsky replied. "I'm not very hungry."

"Starsk, you really ought to eat something," Hutch responded. "I know you haven't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon. Anita, can you go ahead and get us a couple of coffees for now, please? I'll see what I can do to get my partner here to eat something.""

She answered, "Sure thing, Honey."

Starsky looked crossly at Hutch as he said, "I said I'm not hungry."

"You're always hungry, Starsk," Hutch replied. "I know you're worried about everything, but don't be. I've got your back."

"I know you do," Starsky responded as Huggy Bear took a seat in a chair beside them. "We could use some help, Hug."

Huggy answered, "And good morning to you too, Starsky. Why can't the two of you ever come by just for the pleasure of my company?"

Hutch replied, "We come over all the time without asking you for a favor. We really need you this time, Huggy."

"What's going down?" Huggy asked.

"Someone broke into my apartment and left a dead guy on my couch," Starsky responded grimly. "We need you to keep your eyes and ears open for any information that may explain who did this or why."

Anita walked back out and dropped two cups of coffee in front of the detectives and asked, "So, Sugar, have you managed to convince your partner to eat something?"

Starsky looked up at the woman and sweetly answered, "Actually, Darling, I think I gained a little of my appetite back. How about two of Huggy's breakfast specials?"

"I knew you'd come around," she replied. "They'll be ready in just a few minutes."

"You're beautiful, Anita," Starsky said. "And you're a saint."

Anita responded, "I know."

As she walked away again, Starsky stood and walked away to use the phone in order to make the call to his old captain in the army. Hutch watched him walk away and sadly turned to look at their friend.

Huggy asked, "He's pretty rattled, isn't he? More than what he's showing?"

"Wouldn't you be?" Hutch answered. "I found my ex-wife's body and was accused of being the one who killed her, but Starsky's not only being accused of killing this man, there's someone out there messing with his head; trying to scare him and probably will eventually try to kill him."

"I dig what you're saying," Huggy replied. "I will let you know as soon as I hear anything. He'll be all right. He's got you to look after him."

Hutch smiled and answered, "Thanks, Hug."

A few minutes later, Starsky came back to the table, just as Anita walked back over to bring them their breakfasts and some more coffee. She and Huggy then walked away and got back to cleaning up the bar.

Hutch looked at his partner and asked, "Did you speak with him?"

Starsky answered, "No, but I spoke with his son though. He didn't say why Rice refused to speak with me himself. Apparently, he wants me to come down to San Diego to meet with him instead. Are you up for a trip?"

"San Diego is beautiful this time of year," Hutch replied. "And the women are lovely."


	5. Chapter 5

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Five

Once Starsky and Hutch landed at the airport in San Diego, they rented a car and headed straight to the address their Captain had given them earlier that morning. Dobey's secretary had booked them on the next immediate flight out. The two detectives wanted to get this whole ordeal over with as soon as possible, mainly to give Starsky a peace of mind and make sure he was safe again.

When they arrived at the house, Starsky saw it was much bigger than he expected it to be and he stated, "How on earth does a man living on the lousy pension from the army manage to live in a place like this?"

Hutch replied, "Maybe he inherited some money from a rich relative? That does happen you know."

"As far as I know, Rice didn't have anyone except for his son," Starsky answered. "His wife died giving birth to the boy and her parents blamed him for not being there for her and wanted nothing to do with him or the son. Rice had nothing except for the army. I'm telling you, something isn't right here, Hutch."

"I guess we're about to find out," Hutch responded.

As they made their way through the gate and to the front door of the estate, a woman opened the door and led them into a room upstairs, where they found Starsky old captain lying in a bed surrounded by medical equipment and a tube under his nose. Rice's son was sitting in down in a chair on the right side of the bed.

The son was the first to speak as they entered as he said, "I tried to convince my father this was a bad idea, but he insisted on seeing you when I told him you tried to get into touch with him."

Starsky couldn't help but stare in shock at the man as Hutch replied, "Forgive us for intruding, Sir, but I am afraid we couldn't wait to speak with your father. My partner and I have some urgent business to talk to him about."

"I know why you've come, David," Rice stated frailly. "I wasn't expecting you to bring anyone with you."

"I am a detective with the Bay City Police Department now," Starsky responded. "This is my partner, Sergeant Ken Hutchinson. What is wrong, Sir?"

The son answered for him, "He is dying of lung cancer. He doesn't have much longer."

Rice spoke again saying, "Smoking is a nasty habit. The medical profession should make it more clear to the public how terrible cigarettes and cigars really are. I am glad you are here, David. I am afraid I have a confession to make. One that will be hard for you to hear, but I had no choice at the time. Not that it makes what I did all right."

"What is it?" Starsky asked.

"Arvin Nicholson is very much alive," he replied. "I am sorry I lied to you years ago. He paid me to help him escape from prison and fake his death. He paid me well. I had nothing back then and I had my son to think about. I didn't ask questions. He swore to me that he would disappear and not make good on his threat against you."

Hutch looked over at Starsky, who had turned away from everyone and angrily responded, "What you did was betray my partner and released a man who is out there now extracting his revenge against him as we speak. We have no idea what else he has planned, but his life is in danger and you expect him to forgive you just because you're dying?"

Starsky finally looked over at Hutch and then turned back to Rice as he asked, "Hutch, it's all right. Has Arvin been in contact with you at all?"

"He called me three weeks ago and asked me to find where you were living," Rice replied. "I didn't want to help him, but he threatened to kill me and my son. I had no choice."

"You could have called the cops!" Starsky shouted angrily. "They could have protected you. I looked up to you. I trusted you and you did what you did for money so you could live out your life in luxury. I will not forgive you. I can't. I won't, at least not for your sake. If you weren't dying, I'd throw you in prison where you belong. Good luck with the rest of your life. Enjoy it while you can."

Starsky turned and walked away as Hutch turned back to Rice and his son and said, "You better hope and pray that we find Nicholson before anything worse happens to Starsky. Or believe me, I will be back for you."

Hutch left the house and walked back to the car where Starsky was waiting for him in the passenger's seat. Hutch sat down in the driver's seat and looked over at his friend, who he could clearly see was hurting and angry.

"I looked up to Rice as a father figure since my father died," Starsky stated quietly. "I never expected he could be capable of something like this."

"I am sorry, Starsk," Hutch replied. "We're going to find him, I…"

Before he could finish, Starsky looked over at Hutch and interrupted, "It isn't just me at risk anymore. Because I'm a target, you are too. You'll fight to protect me and Arvin will get rid of you to get to me. I can't…"

Hutch answered, "I will not let you go through this on your own. You've stood by me every time I was in trouble and it has been a lot lately. I will do the same for you, no matter the risk. I'll be all right! Besides, we're better as a team and you know it."

"You won't back down, will you?" Starsky asked as he smiled at his partner.

"Not a chance," Hutch responded. "Me and thee, remember?"

Starsky smiled and they headed back to the airport in order to get back home. Once they made it back to the police department, Hutch and Starsky went to speak with Captain Dobey and explained everything they have learned from Rice.

Dobey apologized to Starsky for what happened and then said, "The DNA and finger prints results finally came back from the body found in your apartment. The man was once Tommy O'Brien. Did you know him?"

Starsky looked away and angrily replied, "Tommy was my friend in the army. He was my buddy, who I convinced to help me bring down Arvin Nicholson. He already got to him. I guess that explains why he was in my apartment. Nicholson is trying to rub it in my face that I got a friend killed."

"That wasn't your fault, Starsky!" Dobey responded firmly. "Only Nicholson's. He's a sadistic killer and now he is after you. You have to focus on that right now."

"What about Simonetti and Dryden?" Hutch asked. "Have they come up with anything new in their investigation?"

Dobey shook his head as he answered, "I'm afraid they have yet to share with me what they've discovered. You two watch your backs out there and keep me informed."

Hutch nodded as he and Starsky walked back out of the office and headed back to Hutch's apartment. It was getting late and both of the detectives were exhausted. On their way, Hutch stopped by their favorite pizza joint and walked inside to grab them something to eat for dinner, while Starsky remained in the car.

While Hutch was inside, Starsky was startled when Simonetti and Dryden suddenly appeared outside his side of the car with their guns drawn. Starsky slowly unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car with his arms raised.

Simonetti spoke first saying, "You're under arrest, Starsky. I've been looking forward to this day."

"Whatever it is you think you know Simonetti, you're wrong," Starsky replied firmly. "You're making a mistake, just like you did when you accused Hutch. I didn't kill the man in my apartment."

"That man was Tommy O'Brien, a friend of yours from your days in the army," Dryden responded. "We discovered who he was before your captain did."

Simonetti continued, "We got into contact with the man's widow, who claimed that her husband was heading here to Bay City in order to confront the man responsible for the threats that were made against them."

Starsky angrily answered, "What makes you think it was me? Just because he ended up in my apartment dead? If I killed him, do you honestly think I would have placed his week old corpse on my couch?"

"We'll finish this discussion at our office," Simonetti said as he handcuffed Starsky's hands behind his back and shoved him into the back of their car. "Let the air out of Starsky's tires so that Hutchinson will not be able to follow after us. We need time to get him booked before Hutch comes for him. He will not help Starsky disappear, like Starsky helped him before."

"Will do," Dryden replied.

As soon as Hutch picked up and paid for the food, he walked outside just in time to see Simonetti and Dryden speed off with his partner in the back seat of their car. He shouted their names and ran back to Starsky's car in order to chase after them, but noticed that two of the tires had been slashed. Hutch slammed his fists on the car's roof and then grabbed the radio in order to call Captain Dobey.


	6. Chapter 6

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Six

Captain Dobey was sitting in his office when a call came in for him. Minnie came over his line telling him that Hutch was trying to get a hold of him. Dobey told her to patch him through.

"Dobey here, Hutch," he responded. "What's going on?"

"Simonetti and Dryden just arrested Starsky!" Hutch shouted angrily. "Apparently they've been following us and they slashed Starsky's tires so that I couldn't go after them. I need you to get a hold of Huggy and tell him to come to the pizza joint off of Main and 9th right away. I need his help. We're going to go get Starsky back."

Dobey replied, "I'll find out what Simonetti and Dryden are up to and ask them what they were thinking, arresting one of my men without talking with me first. Don't do anything stupid when you get there, Hutchinson."

Hutch answered, "I'm only protecting my partner, Captain."

When Hutch hung up, Captain Dobey quickly called Huggy at The Pitts and told him that Hutch needed his help. Huggy agreed to help without question and left his bar to pick up his friend at the place the captain had told him to meet him. Once he hung up with the colorful informant and long time friend to the department, Dobey tried to get into touch with Simonetti and Dryden over their radio, but there was no answer. Dobey kept trying and then attempted to call the IA department to find out where they were.

Meanwhile…

Starsky sat in the back of Simonetti's car quietly until he could no longer take the silence and said, "You two are making a big mistake. First of all, you slashed two of my tires and that alone is unforgivable. Second, you are taking in an innocent man without probable cause and without giving me a chance to explain what I've discovered so far. All you have is a woman's statement that she and her husband received threats. What makes you think it was me?"

Simonetti answered, "We've got more than just a statement, Starsky. We'll explain the rest to you at our department once you get booked. There is no escape for you this time."

"The two of you are fools," Starsky responded. "Hutch and Dobey won't…"

Before Starsky could finish his sentence, another car suddenly rammed into them, causing their car to skid across the street until it came to a stop after it was pushed into a wall at the front end of an alley. Both Simonetti and Dryden had become unconscious instantly, since the hardest impact happened in the front end of the car.

Starsky was hurting, but fought to remain conscious and managed to remain awake long enough to see at least three men open the right side, passenger door and loom over him, through his distorted vision. A minute later, one of the men leaned inside the car and stuck a needle into his neck, emptying some kind of liquid into his veins. Starsky could no longer hang on to consciousness as darkness fell over him due to whatever they injected into his bloodstream.

The three men quickly pulled Starsky from the car and threw him into an old, beaten up van and once they were all in, they sped off before the police and rescue vehicles showed up to help the men in the car.

About twenty minutes later, both Simonetti and Dryden were sitting in the back of an ambulance getting medical treatment from minor, various injuries from the crash. Simonetti came away with only scrapes and bruises as did Dryden, but he also had a dislocated shoulder. The paramedic was just setting the shoulder when Hutch suddenly came running over, followed quickly by Huggy Bear.

"Where's Starsky?" Hutch yelled frantically when he didn't see his partner anywhere among the crime scene. "Tell me where he is!"

"Your partner isn't here," Simonetti replied. "I thought you may have somehow managed to find us and helped him to escape, but since you're here, it appears that he has been kidnapped."

Hutch grabbed Simonetti by the front of his jacket as he had earlier and shouted, "What are you talking about? What happened?"

Dryden responded, "Cool it, Hutchinson! Another car crashed into us and caused our car to skid until we crashed into this wall. We were both knocked unconscious and when the two of us awoke, Detective Starsky was gone. We don't know what condition he was in."

"If the two of you weren't so quick to judge Starsky and me and weren't so pigheaded, this never would have happened!" Hutch continued to yell. "The same person who killed the man in Starsky's apartment has come into town to take out his vendetta against him and now he's got him. God knows what this psycho's got planned."

"Tell us about what you know, Hutchinson," Simonetti said.

Captain Dobey walked up to the men after he pulled up in one of the squad cars and answered, "The two of you have lost your privileges to be on this case thanks to your dim-witted idea to follow my detectives and then grab Starsky once he was alone. The two of you will accompany me back to our station and debrief me on whatever information you've collected. You'll be lucky if you get to keep your badges after this. Hutch, you finish interviewing any witnesses to the accident and then you and Huggy get back out on the streets. Do whatever you have to do to find him. I will give you whatever you need to make it happen."

Hutch nodded as he replied, "Thank you, Captain."

Both Hutch and Huggy interviewed the bystanders standing around the crime scene. So far, no one was being very helpful. Either they just didn't care to share what they saw, or they were too drunk to be of any help. Hutch was about to give up until he suddenly spotted Fat Rolly, who started to run away from the scene as soon as he realized he had been spotted. Both Hutch and Huggy took off after the weasel and managed to catch him quickly.

"Where do you think you're off too in such a hurry, Rolly?" Hutch asked firmly. "What do you know about what happened to Starsky, huh?"

"I don't know anything, I swear!" Rolly responded fearfully.

Hutch shoved the man up against the alley wall and replied, "I'm not in the mood for your lies tonight, Rolly! I know that a weasel like you wouldn't be here if you didn't have something to do with what happened. My partner's been kidnapped and I want to know what you know now!"

Fat Rolly stumbled over his words as he answered, "Some guy, he, he, he came into the bar I visit frequently looking for information about Starsky."

"What kind of information?" Hutch asked furiously. "What did you tell him?"

"He wanted to know where Starsky lived, what he did for a living, what kind of car he drove, what his usual habits were," Rolly continued. "I wasn't going to tell him anything at first, but the guy scared me. And he offered to pay a lot for the information. Some guys were going to kill me if I didn't pay them back what I owed them. I really needed the money."

Huggy spoke up as he sarcastically said, "That appears to be the theme today. You're nothing but a snake. What kind of vehicle did Starsky's kidnappers drive him off in?"

Rolly responded, "It was an old, white, unmarked van. There were three guys that took him, but the guy who asked for the information wasn't with them."

As Hutch tightened his grip on the man, Rolly pleaded, "Listen, Hutch. I had no idea what the guy wanted with your partner, I promise. I didn't know he was going to kidnap him."

"What did you think the guy was going to do with your information?" Hutch said in a dangerous tone. "You're an accessory to the kidnapping of a police officer this time Rolly. No one can bail you out of trouble now. I suggest you find some religion and pray that this kidnapping doesn't turn into murder. If Starsky dies, I will see to it that you're in prison for the rest of your life."

As Hutch finished saying this, he loosened his grip on Fat Rolly and shoved him into the back seat of Huggy's car. Rolly tried to plead with Hutch and Huggy to let him go, but they ignored the man as they drove him to their department and booked him.

Hutch hoped that Dobey had gotten some new information out of Simonetti and Dryden that would help him to find his friend. They knew who it was who took Starsky, but that didn't mean that they were any closer to finding him. It's obvious that Arvin Nicholson had been planning this for some time. Then, Hutch prayed himself that he would find Starsky in time."


	7. Chapter 7

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Seven

Hutch walked into Captain Dobey's office, followed by Huggy Bear, after he had finished dealing with Fat Rolly. Both Simonetti and Dryden were sitting down in front of Dobey's desk. Their boss was there also in order to discuss the disciplinary action that was going to be taken against the two agents.

"Hutchinson, I thought I told you to get back out on the streets?" Dobey asked as Hutch and Huggy came in and stood by the door.

"We ran into Fat Rolly at the crime scene," Hutch replied. "When Nicholson came into town, he walked into Rolly's turf and began asking the scum who hung around there for any information about Starsky; where he lived, what kind of car he drove, what he did for a living, and his habits. Rolly snitched and told him everything he wanted to know for money. I charged Rolly with accessory to kidnapping. What's going on?"

Simonetti and Dryden's boss answered, "I'm here to talk with your boss and my men about what happened tonight. My men believed they had probable cause to arrest your partner. I am trying to figure out why you and your boss are so keen on having my men punished."

Hutch angrily replied, "Your men's actions made it so that he was alone and vulnerable while there was a man out there trying to hurt him. Their actions made it so that I wasn't there to protect him when he was kidnapped. They waited for Starsky to be out of my sight so that they could take him in without my interference and then slashed the tires to his car so that I couldn't follow."

"I do not condone the slashing of the tires and they will be happy to pay for the repairs, but according to them, you and Starsky have a tendency to go rogue whenever one of you are accused of wrongdoing, which from what I hear is quite often," the man responded. "The two of you break numerous laws in order to get yourselves out of trouble. My men were making sure you didn't get the chance to do it again."

"We do not break any laws," Hutch answered. "We only protect each other. We do what is necessary to bring down the real criminals and keep away from the officers like Simonetti and Dryden, who like to abuse their power. Your men have had it out for us since the day we met."

Dobey cut in as he said, "Starsky and Hutchinson are my two finest detectives and I stand by them one hundred percent. Your men's actions put Starsky's life in danger and they're the reason why he is missing now. If you refuse to make your men pay for their actions, I will take everything to the press and show everyone the kind of men run Internal Affairs."

The IA captain stood from his chair and responded, "That will not be necessary, Captain Dobey. Agents Simonetti and Dryden are suspended for two months without pay. Should Detective Starsky die because of their actions, they will no longer be a part of Internal Affairs. Does this satisfy your need to see my men pay?"

"Starsky would love to see this," Hutch replied jokingly. "You better hope that I get the chance to tell him. What is it that you two think you have on my partner anyway?"

"When we found out whom the dead man in Starsky's apartment was, we contacted O'Brien's widow," Dryden answered. "She stated that she and her husband had been receiving threats from an old army buddy of his named David Starsky. They weren't only death threats, but Starsky also tried to blackmail him with something she had no clue about. She told us that your partner told her husband to come out to Bay City to meet with him in person. He left home a week ago and the rest you know."

Hutch spoke up again saying, "Arvin Nicholson is sadistic and is trying to hurt Starsky in every way possible, starting with ruining his name by framing him for murder. Now that he's done that, he'll torture him until he grows tired of him. When that happens, he'll kill him."

Huggy spoke up asking, "What on earth did Starsky do to this guy to make him hate him so much?"

"Starsky caught Nicholson and a group of men torturing men, women, and children in order to get information that could lead to the end of the Vietnam War," Hutch responded. "Starsky and Tommy O'Brien turned him in and Nicholson was given life in prison. Starsky's old army captain took a money bribe in exchange for help to fake his death and escape from prison. Then years later told him the cities where Starsky and O'Brien lived."

"This fellow really holds a grudge," Huggy said. "A monster like this cannot stay invisible for long. Someone on the streets knows where he and his minions are holding Starsky. I'll go back out and keep my eyes and ears open for you."

Hutch nodded and replied, "Thanks, Hug. Call me as soon as you find something. Dobey and I will work from here to look for anyone with a grudge against Starsky who would agree to help Nicholson out. I won't give up until Starsky's found."

Sometime later…

Starsky awoke slowly to the steady drops of water falling onto his face from somewhere above him. As he lay on his side on the cold, damp ground, he struggled to move out of the drops' path and found that his arms were still tightly bound behind him by the handcuffs put on him by Simonetti. He tried to see where he was being held, but the room was completely dark. It was then that he remembered the car crashing into them and then being drugged by unknown assailants. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious.

Starsky's head swam as he tried to sit up, but eventually he managed to do so as he sat with his back and his head against one of the walls in the room. He tried closing his eyes to help with the dizziness and headache he felt, due to whatever it was his kidnappers had injected him with, but the relief wasn't much.

A few minutes later, two doors from above him suddenly opened and light filtered in the room, causing Starsky to turn his head away to keep the light from blinding him. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw the silhouette of a man standing above him, but Starsky looked around him slowly and found that he was in a cellar of some kind. Then, he finally focused on the man.

"I'm glad you're finally awake," the man spoke first. "I was beginning to wonder if you would."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Arvin," Starsky replied sarcastically.

Arvin Nicholson responded, "So, you figured out who I am. I knew you would before too long. Was it when you discovered the body in your apartment was Tommy, or did you actually believe it was me when you chased after me at the airport two nights ago?"

Starsky looked at the man before him as he answered, "I didn't know how it was you then, but I knew in my gut you were alive. You found Captain Rice's weakness and exploited it in order to escape and make everyone believe you were dead. Very clever. So what now? You've already tried to frame me for Tommy's murder, which won't stick by the way. Are you going to torture me like you did all those men, women, and children in Vietnam? I've got to tell you, I won't go easy."

"I'm glad to hear it," Arvin said. "You always did know that I was a sick man, didn't you?"

"If you think that when my partner finds you, you'll end up in some psycho hospital, guess again," Starsky replied. "People may think you're sick in the head, but I know better. You're sadistic and you love to torture people for fun, but you are completely sane, which is what makes you the monster you really are, but my partner will stop you."

Nicholson responded, "I hear you and your partner are like brothers. He must be worried out of his mind by now. I assure you, your partner will not find you until I leave your dead body in his apartment, like I left O'Brien in yours, but that won't be for several days. I have a lot planned for you."

Starsky grinned, "You underestimate Hutch. Kill me and he'll come after you, believe me."

"We'll just have to see," the man answered smugly. "I'll be back soon and then we can begin. I suggest you get some sleep in the meantime. You'll need it."

Arvin laughed as he left the cellar and the doors were closed tightly behind him. Starsky was once again alone in the dark. He struggled to break free from the cuffs binding his hands behind him, but the more he struggled, the more pain he felt as the cuffs cut into his wrists, causing them to bleed. After a few minutes, he gave up knowing he was not doing himself any good. Instead, Starsky once again leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. Maybe trying to get some sleep wasn't a bad idea.


	8. Chapter 8

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Eight

It was about three hours later when the cellar doors were opened once again and the three men who had pulled Starsky from Simonetti's car after they had crashed into them pulled Starsky to his feet and dragged him out. Once outside, Starsky saw that he was being held at what looked like an old barn or mill.

As he was taken inside, he saw Nicholson standing over an old fire pit and smoking a cigar. The men dragged Starsky over to a chair they had placed in the middle of the room, but just as one of them finished un-cuffing the handcuffs, Starsky quickly swung his fist at the thug closest to him, causing the man to fall backward. He managed to fight off his assailants with more punches and then grabbed a hold of rake nearby in order to finish them off, but he was soon knocked down himself when Arvin stepped in and hit him on the left side of his head with a cement brick that had come loose from the pit.

The hit was strong enough to keep him down, but it wasn't enough to knock him out. Once his assailants had regained their senses, they pulled Starsky up and dragged him over to the chair once again. Then, they bound his wrists and legs to the chair with heavy cords that bit into his skin as he struggled to break free from them.

Arvin spoke saying, "That was a valiant effort, but you will not be going anywhere. How does your head feel?"

The truth was, his head was killing him and he could feel blood trickling down the side of his face, but he refused to give them the satisfaction of admitting so and so he answered, "I'm feeling just fine. I told you before that I wasn't going to make this easy for you. At least I got a couple of licks in of my own."

"You're just like you were back when we were in Vietnam," Nicholson replied as he took the cigar he was smoking and held it in his left hand and blew the smoke in Starsky's face. "Brave, cocky, and foolish, but when I'm done with you, you'll beg me to put you out of your misery."

"Don't count on it," Starsky responded when the man in front of him suddenly took his cigar and used it to burn his neck just below his left ear.

Starsky cringed at the pain, but he did not make a sound. Nicholson smiled and then walked over to the fire pit and pulled up what Starsky saw was a freshly heated fire poker. Starsky struggled with his cords once again, despite knowing that doing so would do him no good, as Arvin walked back over to him with the poker in hand.

Arvin stood directly in front of him and then motioned for one of his men to rip open the front of Starsky's shirt. As soon as his bare chest was showing, Arvin stuck the burning end of the poker down across the lower right side of his stomach. As soon as it touched his skin, Starsky cried out, but still managed to bite back a scream. Nicholson did this several more times over various places on Starsky's body; his neck, across his shoulders, his thighs and legs, his stomach, and his chest; each time holding the poker down longer, until Starsky could no longer bite back the scream.

Nicholson and his men laughed and after Arvin placed the poker back into the fire, he ordered his men to take Starsky back to the cellar where he could rest up for what he had planned for him next. Starsky was still conscious, but barely and he hardly struggled as the men dragged him back. Once the cellar doors were opened, the men just threw him inside and locked the doors behind him.

Starsky was once again back in complete darkness as he lay there struggling with the intense pain. His head was killing him from being hit with the brick and despite from the darkness in the room, his vision was deteriorating. After a few minutes, he finally allowed himself to drift into unconsciousness.

Later that night…

Hutch and Captain Dobey were still going through several case files hoping to find out who was helping Arvin Nicholson. However, after finding several possibles and putting their names through the computer, they had come up with nothing, due to the fact that the men and women were either still in prison, had an alibi, or they were dead.

By one o'clock in the morning, Hutch threw the last file he had just finished reading across Dobey's office and stood as he growled in frustration. Dobey lowered the file he was reading and looked up at the detective with sadness and weariness across his face.

"It's been over twenty-four hours since Starsky's been taken, Captain!" Hutch shouted angrily. "Nicholson loves to torture his victims. God knows what that sadistic monster's done to him by now. There has to be something we're overlooking. Someone has to know something!"

"Just calm down, Hutchinson!" Dobey replied loudly. "I'm worried about Starsky too. We're doing all we can to find him. Just because you and your partner have managed to make countless enemies, it doesn't mean any of them are involved with this guy. Besides, he's Starsky's enemy way back from before the two of you even met. He probably has his own friends from the war."

Hutch slammed his fist on the desk and sat down wearily as he responded, "I know. Nicholson's smart. He's been one step ahead of us all along. Thanks to Fat Rolly and who knows who else, he managed to get all the information he needed to pull this off. I just can't figure out how he knew when to grab him."

Before Dobey could say anything in response, his phone rang. As he answered it, Minnie came on and said that Huggy Bear was trying to reach Hutch. He told her to patch him through right away.

"Go ahead, Huggy. Hutch is here," Dobey said as Huggy replied. "Do you have something?"

"Yeah, I've got something all right," Huggy answered. "I found one of the scums who helped to kidnap Starsky, drowning his culpability in a bottle of exorbitant liquor. You're going to want to talk with him."

Hutch ran to the door and shouted, "Hold him there, Hug! I'll be right there."

With that, Hutch ran out of Captain Dobey's office and sped off in Starsky's car toward The Pitts as fast as the striped tomato could go. This was the lucky break he had been looking for. He just hoped that the kidnapper would be able to tell him where Arvin Nicholson was holding his partner.


	9. Chapter 9

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Nine

As soon as Hutch arrived at Huggy's bar, he ran inside and walked over to where Huggy stood, in the corner behind the bar. As he did, Hutch saw that Huggy was watching an older man at the end of the bar, who was slowly getting drunk.

Hutch looked at the man and then turned to Huggy as he quietly asked, "Who is he Hug? What does he know about Starsky?"

Huggy Bear responded, "I haven't asked him any questions. I didn't want to spook the man. However, you may want to take a look at his left wrist."

Hutch picked up a glass from behind the counter, poured beer from the tap into it, walked over to the man, and set the beer down in front of him, as he glanced at the watch he was wearing. Hutch immediately recognized it was Starsky's. Starsky always bragged about how much money he spent on his watches and there was no way this man in front of him owned something so expensive.

"That's a fine looking watch you've got on there, friend," Hutch said sternly. "Care to tell me where you got it from?"

"It was given to me," the man replied as he glanced up at Hutch for the first time. "What's it to you?"

"You see, I happen to know that you're lying," Hutch answered as he grabbed the man by his collar and pulled him over the bar, then pushed him up against the wall. "That watch belongs to a friend of mine and I know that he would never give it to anyone, except maybe to me if he thought he was going to die. You helped a man named Arvin Nicholson kidnap him last night. Tell me where he is."

The man stuttered as he responded, "I…I don't know what you're talking about. He gave…"

Hutch angrily shouted, "Stop lying to me! Tell me where you took my partner! Now!"

The man finally replied, "All right! I helped kidnap him and stole his watch, but I don't know where Arvin and the others took him. After we crashed into the police car and we pulled your partner out, I took the watch from of him, but they tried to kill me. I got drunk before the kidnapping. They thought I was a lia…a liab…"

"A liability?" Hutch responded for him. "Then how is it you're still alive to get drunk once again tonight?"

"I managed to escape before they could do it," he answered. "I was lucky."

Hutch replied, "You're not so lucky tonight. You're under arrest for the kidnapping of a police officer. If he dies, those charges will be amended to murder. If you don't want that to happen, I suggest you tell me everything you know. You're not drunk yet. Who were the others besides Nicholson and how did you know where Starsky was right then?"

The man responded, "Arvin learned about these two cops who have a grudge against Starsky and came up with a plan to try to frame him. He knew they would go after him and he was right. He also knew they would be following your partner closely and so we followed them. Arvin heard about yours and Starsky's reputations. You would have spotted us if we followed you. As for who the other men are, I have no idea. This is all I know, I swear."

"What exactly did this bad dude give you to get you to agree to kidnap a detective with a reputation like's Starsky's?" Huggy asked. "Let me guess, money? How much was enough?"

"Arvin's got his sources," the man answered. "He knew my weakness. I just needed a drink. I was given enough to pay for a few."

Hutch pushed the man hard up against the wall and said angrily, "You helped a psychopath kidnap my best friend for a few drinks? I will personally see to it that you get the capital punishment if he doesn't survive. I certainly hope that a few drinks were worth your life."

With that said Hutch pulled the man away from the wall, pulled his arms behind his back to handcuff him, and shoved him toward the bar's door in order to put him in the back seat of his car. As he left, Hutch whispered a thanks to Huggy for his help and then drove back to the department. Once the man was booked, Hutch went to see Captain Dobey to fill him in on all he learned.

Around noon the next day…

When Arvin and his men returned to the cellar once again, they found that Starsky was actually awake. He stood from the ground as they entered and despite his discomfort, he had his smug façade back in place.

Starsky was the first to speak as they arrived, saying, "I was beginning to wonder when you'd be coming back. I thought maybe you were already bored and decided to leave me to rot in this pit you call a cellar."

"I'm surprised that after yesterday, you're still cocky," Arvin replied. "You're stronger than what I expected, but I suppose it'll make what I am about to do a bit more fun, for me."

"Do to me whatever you want," Starsky answered seriously. "I can take it. I'm still going to be the one to make you pay for all you've done. Just wait and see."

Nicholson backhanded Starsky across the right side of his face, causing him to fall back to the ground. He then ordered the men to grab a hold of him and hold him firmly up against the wall. Once they had Starsky restrained, Starsky watched as Arvin walked toward him while pulling out another syringe from his pocket.

Arvin spoke again saying, "This here is a new drug called mefloquine that was developed during the end of Vietnam in order to help those who had malaria. However, it has yet to be approved, as some of the trials have shown many of the patients having serious and dangerous side effects as a result. I managed to get a hold of a rather large amount and used the drug to torture the men, women, and children I did during the war. Luckily, I remembered exactly where I had hidden the drugs before I was arrested."

Starsky replied boldly, "Go ahead."

As his men held Starsky's left arm out in front of him, Nicholson injected the needle into his veins from the crease of his elbow. The drug burned as it was released into his blood and he immediately felt dizzy, nauseous, as well as intense muscle and abdominal pain, causing him to fall to the ground in agony.

The men standing above him watched in morbid fascination as Starsky writhed on the floor, until Arvin bent down, pulled his head up to face him by roughly grabbing his hair and said, "The effects will only become worse, the more mefloquine I inject into you. If you think the pain you're feeling now is bad, just wait. When we're done, you'll be begging me to kill you just as I said before."

When Nicholson released Starsky's head, the men laughed as they all walked back out of the cellar and locked the doors behind them. As he continued to lie on the ground still in pain, Starsky couldn't help but think back to the time when Hutch had been kidnapped and injected with heroin. Heroin was meant to be an addictive drug, used to make you high. Starsky could feel that this drug was just the opposite and he was no longer sure he take it if he was injected with it again and again. He was scared.


	10. Chapter 10

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Ten

Four days had passed since the first time Starsky had been injected with Nicholson's drug. However, Starsky wasn't aware of the time. He had been cooped up inside of the dark cellar ever since he was dumped there after being burned over and over with the hot fire poker. Since then, he had been given three injections of mefloquine, each time being worse than the last.

The symptoms were growing worse. He still felt intense pain throughout his body as well as nausea, but on top of that, his head was pounding from a terrible headache, his fever was slowly rising, he had chills, he felt fatigued, but he could not sleep, and worst of all he was beginning to have nightmares and hallucinations; bad memories of his years in the army and in Vietnam, as well as the horrible things he and Hutch had seen since he became a cop.

However, what scared Starsky the most above all of this is that he wished Arvin Nicholson would kill him, just as his torturer had said he would feel. Thoughts of suicide kept entering into his mind, but Starsky refused to give in to the temptation and he certainly wouldn't beg Arvin to kill him, no matter what. He couldn't. It had been a while since his last injection and despite everything he was feeling, he somehow felt fairly lucid, at least at for the time being. A few minutes later, one of Nicholson's men opened the cellar doors and walked in carrying some food on a tray and some water. As the man turned his back on him in order to put the tray down, Starsky suddenly jumped him, grabbed the fork from off of the tray, and put it up against the man's neck.

"I may not be one hundred percent right now, but I am well enough to shove this fork into your neck if you do not help me to get out of here," Starsky stated angrily. "I remember who you are from a case my partner and I worked on years ago, Lupo, which means I know that you're too much of a coward to fight me as long as I've got the upper hand. Where are Arvin and the others?"

"They're not here," Lupo answered. "Nicholson had some things to do in town. I'm not sure what or where."

Starsky struggled as he asked, "Is there still a car here that you can drive?"

When the thug didn't answer, Starsky pushed the fork harder against his neck and as he did he finally nodded his head and asked, "Are you going to ask me to drive you out of here?"

"That's right, but first, you're going to bring me to my gun," Starsky replied. "Then, you're going to drive me to a place called The Pitts. Do you understand?"

"And if I refuse?" Lupo asked.

Starsky responded, "Do not mess with me! I am on the edge and feeling very explosive right now. I told you what would happen if you do not do as I say. Do you understand me?"

The man nodded again and began to slowly walk to the cellar doors. Once they made it out, Starsky cringed and had to turn his head away from the light of the sun thanks to being kept in the dark for however long he had been there. He still managed to keep his hold on the man as he led the way to the small house next to the barn.

Starsky dropped the fork once he got his gun back and kept it trained on Lupo as they walked to the same white van that they had used to kidnap him. Starsky uncomfortably climbed into the passenger's seat, as the thug climbed into the driver's seat and began to drive. Starsky felt terrible, but he fought off the urge to quit as they made their way to the bar where Starsky prayed that Huggy would be at once they arrived.

Meanwhile…

The Pitts was beginning to get busy as the day was beginning to fade and the evening was growing closer. Anita was taking orders from the patrons throughout the bar, while Huggy worked behind the bar. Normally, both of them were quite colorful and lively, but since Starsky had been missing, neither one of them felt like being themselves.

As Anita walked over to wait on one of the regular patrons there, he said, "What's wrong with you lately, Anita Honey? I miss that smile of yours."

Anita replied, "The only thing you miss is me putting up with your vile behavior once you become the drunk that you are. Just watch it, Pal!"

"You heard the lady, Mister," Huggy said as he came over. "I suggest you leave, unless you want your latest libation all over your fancy threads here."

"I got it," the man answered. "I'm leaving. I suggest you find a way to lighten up again, or I'll never be coming back here."

Huggy watched him storm off as he responded, "Good riddance!"

Anita spoke up again saying, "Thanks, Hug. I'm gonna take a smoke break. I'll be right back."

Huggy nodded and watched her walk away. After she stepped out, she took out a cigarette and lit it, but after smoking it for a minute, she pulled it away from her mouth and stared at it. She was never much of a smoker, but it helped her a little when she was stressed and just as she was about to put it out, she suddenly heard a noise coming from down the alley. Someone or something had crashed into the garbage bags that had piled up around the dumpster.

Anita slowly approached in order to check it out and as soon as she saw who it was, she threw down the cigarette and rushed over to help him as she cried out, "Starsky! Oh, God, what happened to you?"

"I need you get Hug…gy for me," Starsky struggled as he answered. "Hurry."

"I'm going," she replied as she quickly stood and ran inside.

Less than a minute later, she came back over to him, followed by Huggy, who said, "Starsky! We've been searching for you everywhere, man! You look awful! We need to get you to the hos…"

Starsky cut him off as he interrupted, "No! Just help me up to one of your rooms. Doctors can't help…can't help me. Call Hutch."

"Why can't we take you to the hospital?" Anita asked. "You're hurt, badly."

"Let's just do as he says," Huggy responded sadly as he and Anita struggled to help him inside and up the stairs that led to the same room where Starsky had once kept vigil over his partner a few years ago.

"No lights," Starsky said once they gently lay him down on the bed. "They make…worse. Don't tell…except Hutch. They'll be looking…for me."

Starsky stopped trying to talk as he struggled with the pain that was now too painful to ignore. Huggy walked over to the closet and pulled out a few blankets to cover him with after he ordered Anita to run downstairs to heat up some water and bring up some fresh towels. Then, he walked over to the phone and dialed the number to Hutch's apartment, knowing that he was probably there trying to catch up on some much needed sleep that he had forced himself to go without for far too long, out of worry over Starsky.

When Hutch picked up on the other end, Huggy could hear the weariness in his voice as he sadly said, "Hutch, it's Huggy Bear. You're gonna want to get over here right away. It's Starsky."


	11. Chapter 11

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Eleven

Hutch had been asleep for almost five hours when his phone rang. Before that, he had been sent home by Captain Dobey by the time the morning came around. Hutch had been searching frantically for the last four days for Starsky, without getting any sleep and despite calling in any favors he had, he had struck out.

All day he tried to sleep, but his fear for his partner, on top of his guilt for not being able to protect him when he really needed him, prevented him from doing so until complete exhaustion eventually won out. However, when he received the call from Huggy telling him that he needed to get to The Pitts right away, he didn't hesitate, hoping that whatever lead he had for him was enough for him to be able to finally find Starsky.

As Hutch arrived and walked into the bar once again, he saw Anita running down the stairs leading to the rooms above, carrying an empty water pitcher. She was crying hysterically and when he reached her, he could see from the look in her eyes that his partner was upstairs and that something was very wrong.

Hutch ran up the stairs and when he stormed into the room, Huggy grabbed a hold of him before Hutch could rush over to Starsky, who was currently crouching in the corner of the room with his head buried in his arms and his gun in his left hand. Hutch tried to wriggle out of Huggy's grip, but the smaller man held tight, while Starsky was rocky back and forth and mumbling something they couldn't make out.

"How long has he been like this, Hug?" Hutch asked fearfully.

"Just a few minutes," he answered sadly. "When he got here, we laid him on the bed, covered him up, and started to bring down his fever with hot water and towels. He was hurting, but he was coherent. He begged me not to call for an ambulance cause he said they couldn't help him and then asked me to call you. I called right away. He looks…"

Hutch interrupted as he asked again, "Did he say anything else? How did he get here?"

Huggy replied, "He said the bright lights made him feel worse, which is why I had Anita bring up these oil lamps, mainly for us. The last thing he said was that they'd find him. As for how he got here, he somehow got one of his abductors to drive him here, then knocked him out cold and cuffed him to the wheel."

Hutch nodded and said, "Please let go of me so I can help him."

Huggy did as he asked and Hutch slowly began to make his way toward his friend. However, before he could reach him, Starsky suddenly raised himself from the ground and pointed his gun wildly between Hutch and Huggy. Both of them stopped and raised their hands.

"Easy Starsky, it's me," Hutch said softly as he slowly continued to step forward again. "I just want to help you."

"Help me?" Starsky cried out. "Why are you here? You can't…be here!"

Hutch looked at him quizzically, and then asked, "Why can't I be here, Starsk?"

Starsky was shaking as he continued pointing his gun toward them as he answered angrily, "You're dead! You're dead because of me! Get away from me!"

"I'm not dead?" Hutch responded. "I'm right here. It's really me?"

"I don't know you," Starsky whimpered as he collapsed to the floor, still holding his gun, but as he was before when Hutch first walked into the room. "It hurts. Just leave me alone. Why can't you leave me alone? Please just kill me."

Hutch's heart broke when he heard his best friend beg him to kill him. The two of them had been through a lot together, seen terrible things, and both had been kidnapped and nearly killed numerous times. Despite all this, Starsky was the one who could always crack a joke and keep up his annoyingly optimistic attitude.

Huggy replied, "I think maybe he's hallucinating. Still seeing the psycho who did this to him. Maybe even someone else. You got to snap him out of it and get him to see you."

"If you don't help me, I'll do it myself," Starsky said as he raised his gun to his own head and looked away from them.

"No, Starsky, stop!" Hutch shouted and then slowly and softly continued to speak as he knelt down in front of him. "I need you to listen to me. It's me, Hutch. You're my partner, my best friend. Please, look at me."

Starsky didn't listen right away, but eventually turned to look at the man in front of him. He slowly began to lower the gun from his head, as Hutch moved closer and started to reach up to take it from him. However, Starsky moved himself closer to the corner once again in fear. Hutch didn't give up as he gently placed his hand on Starsky's shoulder, while Starsky continued to look at his face.

After a few minutes of silence and starring directly into each other's eyes, Starsky whispered, "Hutch?"

Hutch pulled Starsky into a hug and pulled the gun from his hand when he saw that his partner finally recognized him while saying, "It's going to be all right, Buddy. I've got you. You're going to be all right."

"Please help me," Starsky begged as they remained in their position. "I'm scared. It hurts and if I go to the hospital…they will find me. I can't… I can't…"

"They're not going to hurt you anymore, Starsk," Hutch replied. "I promise. You managed to escape from them and got yourself back here. You are strong. Don't give up on me, now."

Meanwhile…

Arvin Nicholson and his men arrived back at their hideout about three hours after they had left to run their errands. As they got out of their car and were about to go inside the house, Nicholson was the first to notice that the cellar doors were wide open. He and his men ran over and once they found that the cellar was empty as they expected, Nicholson kicked one of the doors in anger.

He shouted at his men saying, "I want you to find Starsky, now! Bring the detective back here to me, and kill Lupo once you find him, that is if he isn't already dead. I want Starsky to die and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Do you understand me?"

One of the men responded, "Yes, Sir."


	12. Chapter 12

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Twelve

After a few minutes, Hutch helped Starsky up from the floor and then he and Huggy helped to get him settled back in the bed. Huggy walked out of the room to go find Anita to have her bring up some more water and towels, as well as to give them some privacy.

Starsky was himself again, at least for now, but he was severely ill. Hutch sat on the side of the bed and worked to remove what was left of Starsky's filthy shirt. As he did so, he saw the multiple burns along his chest, his back, and his neck. Finally, when he pulled off the sleeve over his left arm, he found the needle marks, just like the ones in his own arm.

Hutch felt his anger rise, but pushed it down as Starsky quietly spoke again saying, "I'm sorry, Hutch."

He sadly replied, "You've nothing to be sorry for, Starsk. Just take it easy."

"You know what I'm talking about," Starsky said.

"You mean for worrying me to death for four days?" Hutch asked, knowing full well that he was referring to him asking him to kill him.

Starsky responded, "Is that how long I was gone?"

Hutch nodded sadly as Anita walked in and slowly set a new pitcher of water on the nightstand beside the bed as well as the new towels and then walked back out without a word. Hutch got to work right away with treating Starsky's wounds, using the medical supplies that Huggy had brought up before Hutch had gotten there.

Hutch spoke up again after she left saying, "You'll be happy to hear that both Simonetti and Dryden have been suspended for two months without pay for their role in this. It isn't as much as they deserve, but at least they will no longer be around to cause us any problems."

Starsky started to laugh until he started coughing, but as he gained control back, he whispered, "I wish I could have seen…the looks on their faces."

"Do you remember what happened to you, Starsk?" Hutch asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah, I remember most of it," Starsky replied. "But I saw a lot of other things too. I'm not sure what was real and what wasn't. Like a few minutes ago. I just know...that Arvin Nicholson…was behind it all."

Hutch looked down at his friend and asked again, "Do you remember being injected by something?"

Starsky nodded, but before he could say anymore his face contorted in pain and he began to cough uncontrollably. Hutch held onto him to reassure him he was there, until he eventually fell unconscious. His partner's fever was high and still rising, despite his efforts and he knew that the nightmares or hallucinations would continue for however long the drugs in his system would last.

Hutch also knew that he needed to be in the hospital, but Starsky kept saying that they would find him if he was there and he believed him. Hutch had no idea who else was working with Nicholson, who seemed to have unlimited resources to money, as well as accomplices. The only people he could trust to help him take care of his friend were Huggy, Anita, and Captain Dobey, whom he realized he still needed to contact. It was then that Hutch got an idea that wasn't a great solution, but it was the only thing he could think of that might be able to give Starsky the medical help he really needed.

Hutch walked over to the phone and quickly called Captain Dobey to tell him to come alone to The Pitts, without telling anyone where he was going and that he would explain the rest when he arrived. When he hung up, he took a seat in the chair beside the phone and called another number.

When the other end of the line picked up, Hutch responded wearily, "Hello again, Dad."

Hutch's father asked, "_Ken, I didn't expect to hear from you again so soon. You sound terrible. Is everything all right?_"

"No, Dad," he answered grimly. "I really need your help. I'm fine, but Starsky, he's…I need you to help him, please."

"_I just got back to my hotel after finishing my business here in San Francisco,_" Hutchinson Senior replied. "_I was getting ready to leave to catch my flight. Where can I find you?_"

Hutch responded, "Call for a cab and tell him to drop you off at a place called The Pitts here in Bay City. Do not tell anyone where you are going. I'll be waiting for you."

The older man agreed and hung up the phone. Hutch looked back at his partner covered up in the bed and left the room to find Huggy down in the bar. Hutch stopped at the bottom of the stairs when he saw that Huggy saw him coming down and motioned for his friend to come over.

Huggy asked, "How's our boy doing?"

"Not good, Hug," Hutch answered sadly. "He's himself again for now, but he's really sick and we can't trust that he'll be safe at the hospital. Any of the doctors or nurses could be on Nicholson's payroll."

"That's true," Huggy agreed. "What do you plan to do?"

Hutch replied, "I've called my father, who's a doctor. He'll be here within an hour. When he arrives, will you send him up? You'll know who he is when you see him. I'm going to stay with Starsky. Let me know if you see anyone looking suspicious come in here. No doubt Nicholson will know about this place too."

Huggy nodded as he responded, "Fine, but what about the bad dude still locked in the van I hid out back?"

"Dobey's also on his way here," Hutch said. "We'll talk with the guy then."

"You got it," Huggy answered.

Hutch walked back to the room and moved the chair by the phone to Starsky's bedside. He took a seat, grabbed a towel to soak it in water, and began to wipe down his partner's head, face, chest, and arms, not only to try to bring down the fever, but also to wipe away the grime and filth that covered him. Hutch could see that he was held somewhere dirty. When he finished, he remained in the chair to wait as he exhaustedly placed his head in his hands.

About forty minutes later, Huggy came into the room to find Hutch was resting and he carefully walked over and gently put his hand on his shoulder to wake him. Hutch jumped as he did so.

Hutch moved back as he said, "Sorry to scare you, Brother. I came in to tell you your father's here, as well as Captain Dobey. They ran into each other downstairs."

After Dobey walked into the room and to his officer's bedside, Hutchinson Senior stepped through the door and slowly walked over to the bed where he saw his son's partner was lying unconscious and very ill. He looked into his son's tired eyes and walked over to Starsky to begin checking him over.

"What happened. Son?" the older man asked before Dobey could.

"He was abducted the night after you left by the same men responsible for putting the body in his apartment," Hutch replied. "He was tortured for four days until he somehow managed to escape and make his way back here. It looks like he was burned over and over with a hot metal object and then injected with some kind of drug at least four times. The marks are here in his arm. So far, his fever is slowly continuing to rise, despite my efforts to wipe his head and face down with hot water. He's got chills and shaking uncontrollably, and has been having trouble breathing. The worst thing though, is that he's been hallucinating; seeing things that I'm not sure of. He's terrified, Dad."

The older man looked directly at his son and grimly asked, "Has he been suicidal?"

Hutch looked quizzically at his father as he responded, "What does that matter? I mean, I know he's in bad shape, Dad, but I need you to do whatever you can for him."

"I'm only trying to rule out drugs like heroin and others that cause a person to get high," his father answered. "I…"

"It wasn't heroin," Hutch replied defensively. "Believe me, I know. Whatever drug this is, it has different effects and it's not addictive. Starsky didn't beg me to give him more like an addict would. He asked me to kill him."

The older man responded as he continued to administer to Starsky, "I see. Listen, I'm going to give him an antibiotic to help him with the fever, but since we have no idea what's in his system, we cannot risk giving him anything stronger to help with the pain. He needs to be in a hospital so I can run tests on him. Otherwise, I can't…"

Dobey interrupted saying, "You can use the lab at the police department. Just take the blood from him that you need and I'll escort you back. I know it isn't ideal, but the men who did this to Starsky are still out there and will do whatever it takes to find him and kill him. We cannot guarantee his safety at the hospital."

"All right," Hutchinson Senior replied as he injected the antibiotic into a vein below his right wrist. "I understand. I'll do what I can or him, Son. I promise. In the meantime, just keep doing what you've been doing. He'll keep getting worse until we figure this out, but you're doing fine."

"Just so you know, I've got the kidnapper, who Starsky locked in the van on his way to the station as we speak. A couple of traffic cops are driving him. Don't worry, they don't know anything about him being tied to Starsky's kidnapping. I'll take care of the thug myself and try to find Nicholson."

"Thanks, Captain," Hutch said. "And thank you, Dad."

After his father drew the blood he needed from his partner and once everyone left, Hutch took his seat once again beside Starsky's bedside. Huggy came back a few minutes later with some fresh water and helped Hutch take care of their friend. Anita brought them up some food, as well as a beer to drink. Then, she went down and closed up the bar early before heading home. No doubt would Hutch need Huggy's help and she had already been there longer than her shift was meant to be.

As she left, she failed to notice a car parked across the street carrying two passengers in the front seats, who were watching the bar known as The Pitts. These men worked for Arvin Nicholson, who had told them to check the place out after learning that it was owned by one of Detective Starsky's good friends.

For now, they were only watching, not knowing Starsky was inside, since they had not been there when Lupo had been escorted out by the two traffic cops, but they were warned that if Detective Hutchinson arrived at the bar, that they were to call Arvin immediately because he knew that he would be the one to lead him to Starsky.


	13. Chapter 13

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Thirteen

Once Captain Dobey and Hutch's father arrived at the police department, Dobey had Minnie escort the older man to the lab, while he walked to the interrogation room in order to talk with the kidnapper. As he came into the room, Dobey took a seat in the chair across from where Lupo sat.

"When you were released from prison a year ago, you told my boys that you would not ever give them a reason to come after you again," Dobey stated. "You lied, Lupo."

"I didn't want anything to do with this, but…" Lupo began before he was cut off.

"Don't tell me that you did this because of the money he paid you," Dobey interrupted. "I already know that this is how everyone involved has come to be on Arvin Nicholson's side. Money is a powerful motivator. I don't really care. What I want to know is, where are Nicholson and the rest of the scum who kidnapped Detective Starsky?"

Lupo answered, "We were at a farm house out in the middle of nowhere outside the city, but I doubt you'll find them there anymore. They'll have noticed Starsky missing by now. They'll be searching for him."

Dobey replied, "What did Nicholson do to Starsky? What drug did he inject into him?"

The young criminal responded, "I don't remember the name of the drug; maf…maflo something, I think. Arvin said that it was some drug that was made at the end of Vietnam that had not yet been approved. Apparently he used it to torture others during the war. He injected it into Starsky once a day. Look, I am telling you all I know. Isn't there something you can do for me?"

"You want me to do you a favor after you did what you did to one of my men?" Dobey asked angrily as he stood to leave the room. "You have given me nothing to help us find Nicholson and nothing that will help Starsky. What happens to you depends on whether or not he survives this mess you're involved in. I suggest you pray that he does survive."

"I'm sorry," Lupo said quietly as Dobey scoffed and finally left the room.

Captain Dobey walked back to his office and picked up his phone in order to call Hutch and fill him in on the interrogation and to find out how Starsky was doing. When he learned that Starsky was pretty much the same since he had seen him, Dobey rubbed his hand over his head and told Hutch to keep him informed should anything change.

Once he hung up a few minutes later, Dobey once again left his office and walked to the lab to speak with Hutch's father. As he entered, he found the man leaning over a telescope at what he assumed was one of the blood samples he had taken from Starsky.

Dobey was the first to speak as he asked, "Have you made any progress?"

Hutchinson Senior answered, "I'm afraid not. I've tested his blood and injected a few different drugs into the samples in hopes of finding something to help get rid of the poison, but so far, I've had no luck. Everything so far will only make him worse and kill him faster."

"I see," Dobey replied. "If we manage to bring in the man who did this to Starsky, along with a sample of the drug injected into him, would you be able to come up with a cure from that?"

"Possibly," Senior responded. "It's also possible that the drug will wear out of his system on its own. I'm not sure yet. For now, I am concentrating on trying to find something I can give him to help with the symptoms. How long have he and my son been partners? Ken said that he and Detective Starsky were as close as brothers."

Captain Dobey answered, "They've been partners for over seven years and they went through the police academy together. Starsky's closer to your son than he is to his own brother. They survive day after day among these crime-ridden streets because they look out for one another."

Hutch's father replied, "I am beginning to see that. I am afraid that I made a mistake days ago when I refused to see my son's partner for who he is. I hope that I get the chance to remedy that."

"So do I," Dobey responded.

Down at Huggy's…

As Hutch got off of the phone with Captain Dobey, he turned to Huggy and asked, "Do you think you could get your hands on a medical book that would have the names and descriptions of medicines created around the end of Vietnam, Hug?"

"I think I might know a guy," Huggy answered. "But why? Did your old man find something?"

"No, but Lupo gave Dobey a partial name of the drug Nicholson used on Starsky," Hutch replied. "I think I vaguely remember Starsky telling me about it back when he talked to me once about his days in the war. If I saw the name again, I may recognize it."

Huggy responded as he turned to leave the room, "I'll see what I can do!"

Hutch stated, "Thanks, Hug."

Once Huggy left, Hutch slowly walked back over and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked down at his best friend, as a tear escaped the corner of his eye. Seeing him like this made him think about all the times he and Starsky were in this kind of trouble. First, he himself had been kidnapped and doped up on heroin and Starsky was there to pull him through. Starsky once had been given an injection that gave him just twenty-four hours to live and he was lucky to figure out how to save him in the nick of time.

Then, both of them had been shot more than once, the worst being the time when Starsky was shot multiple times in the chest and back by James Gunther's hired thugs. How many times could they keep being lucky?

A smile suddenly came to his face when he remembered the time when Starsky had been shot in the back of his shoulder at a restaurant downtown and he quoted a line from his favorite movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Something about going somewhere and robbing banks. Despite the direness or their situation, it made him laugh then, just as it made him laugh now. Starsky was going to be all right. He would make sure of it.


	14. Chapter 14

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Fourteen

Once Huggy came back about an hour later with the medical book Hutch had asked him for, he left Hutch alone once again. Hutch read carefully through the book for several hours, until he could no longer read and eventually began to doze off. Starsky had woken a few times throughout the night after having nightmares, but he had been unconscious for the last few hours, giving Hutch a chance to rest.

It wasn't until late morning the next day that Starsky awoke again and became caught up in one of his hallucinations. Starsky cried out in anger and fear of whatever it was he was seeing. Huggy had to come into the room to help him as Hutch struggled to calm their friend down. Neither one of them could tell what Starsky was seeing, but from his outbursts, they figured he was seeing something back from when he was in Vietnam. Hutch held onto him tightly in hopes of calming him down and finally he did, but Hutch was worried for him as he struggled to cope with the pain he was suffering.

"I'm here for you, Buddy," Hutch whispered to his friend as he continued to hold onto him. "I'm not going anywhere. Just take it easy."

"Please…make them…make them stop, Hutch," Starsky whimpered. "I can't…can't…"

Hutch gently turned his head in order to get him to look into his eyes and softly replied, "Yes you can, Starsk. I know you can. Don't you dare give up on me now. We have been through too much together and you were always the first one to encourage me not to give up. This time, I'm here for you. You will get through this, just like I did because of you."

After remaining on the floor like this for more than ten minutes without talking, Starsky finally asked, "Can you help me up?"

"Sure," he answered as he and Huggy struggled to pull him up and started to move him back to the bed.

"No," Starsky said as they did so. "We need to find Nicholson. I know you and Dobey have been trying to do so, but we do better as a team and you know it."

Huggy responded, "No way, Brother. You're in no condition to go anywhere, but back to bed."

Hutch agreed as he said, "Huggy's right, Starsk. You can barely stand."

"I am tired of just lying here and not being able to do anything about it," Starsky responded. "I can't let this keep happening to me. Maybe if…"

"I promise you, Starsk, everyone is doing all they can to stop this," Hutch said. "Dobey put out an APB on Nicholson and is working from the station, along with my father, who…"

"Wait, your father?" Starsky asked as he interrupted. "What's he doing back here?"

Hutch answered, "I called him and asked him to come and help you, since we can't take you to the hospital. He gave you some antibiotics to help bring down your fever, or at least keep it from rising much more. Now he's working in the station's lab trying to find a way to flush these drugs from your system without doing you anymore harm. I didn't know what else to do."

Starsky smiled and replied, "I'm surprised he came back. I didn't think he liked me."

"You forced me to result to begging," Hutch responded as he smiled. "You'll owe me for that later. My father may be hard headed, but he would never say no to helping someone, especially me. Deep down, he's a good man. Thanks to you, I saw that in him last night."

"Have you figured anything else out yet?" Starsky asked as he allowed his partner and Huggy to help him sit him up on the bed.

Hutch shook his head and answered, "When Captain Dobey spoke with Lupo, the guy you knocked out in the van, he said he couldn't remember the name of the drug, except for the first few letters; mal, but that he knew it was the same drug Nicholson used to torture his other victims with during the war. Do you remember what it was, Starsk?"

After he thought hard for a minute, he shook his head and replied, "I know he told me what it was, but I can't…"

Starsky's face suddenly contorted in pain as he doubled over and put his head in his hands. Hutch held onto him until he rode out the sudden burst of pain and then helped him to lie all the way down on the bed.

"It's ok, Starsky," Hutch said. "Don't worry about it now. Just try to relax."

"How can I relax when this psycho is out there?" Starsky asked as he struggled with his pain. "He's looking for me and when he finds me, you and Huggy are going to be in his way. What if…"

Huggy responded, "If he comes here, we'll be ready for him and make sure he pays for all he's done."

Starsky then asked, "What if you were to use me…as bait? I could draw him out. It'll work."

"Not a chance," Hutch replied firmly. "Just trust us to do all the work for a change, will you?"

"Hey, didn't the two of you go see the dude who was in charge of Starsky's unit in the war several days ago?" Huggy asked as he suddenly got an idea.

Hutch nodded as he looked over at Huggy and responded, "What about him?"

Huggy looked between Hutch and Starsky as he answered, "What if you called him to find out the name of the drug. If he originally arrested Nicholson in Nam, wouldn't he have mentioned the drug in his report? He may even have a sample if Nicholson had it on him at the time of his arrest."

"Hug, you're a genius," Hutch said as he stood and quickly walked over to the phone. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"That's right, why didn't you think of that?" Starsky replied sarcastically. "Why didn't I?"

Hutch laughed as he dialed the operator to get the number for the address they went to see him at. Once he got the number, he hung up with the operator and began to dial the number to speak with former Captain Rice's son, since Rice himself was probably too ill to speak on the phone himself.

As the son picked up the phone, Hutch got right to the point as he said, "This is Detective Hutchinson again, Mr. Rice. I believe you remember me from coming to your home a few days ago?"

The son answered, "_Yes, I remember you, Detective. What do you want now?_"

"I need you to speak with your father about something from his file on Arvin Nicholson's arrest," Hutch replied. "It's important."

"_Why should we help you anymore, after you and your partner treated my father the way you did when you were here,_" the son responded angrily. "_I understand my father made a mistake, but he did not deserve to be treated like a criminal._"

Hutch answered, "Your father helped Nicholson to kidnap and hurt my partner, as we warned you he would. Starsky was injected with a drug multiple times over a four day period, a drug that your father may have access to, or at least have the name of in this file. We need that name in order to save him. He's in bad shape and getting worse."

The son replied, "I will talk with my father and get back to you. Give me a number I can reach you at."

Once Hutch gave him the number to Huggy's, the son hung up. Hutch set the receiver back down and walked back over to the bed. He told his partner and Huggy what the son had said and then waited to hear back from him in silence, as Starsky's fever began to spike. Huggy walked back downstairs to get some more water and when he came back up, Hutch informed him that Rice's son had called back while he was gone.

"Rice does still have a sample of the drug there at his home down in San Diego," Hutch said to Huggy as he pulled him away from the bed. "I need you to go and get it for me, Hug. I know it's asking a lot, but…"

"This is for Starsky," Huggy responded. "You don't got to ask. I know someone who can get me there and back lickedy split."

Hutch patted their friend on the shoulder as he turned and walked out of the room, after handing him Rice's address. Once he was gone, Hutch sat back in the chair beside the bed as he poured the fresh warm water over a towel and began to wipe down Starsky's face and neck again. Starsky moaned from the pain and Hutch used his free hand to keep a hold of one of his for comfort. Eventually, Starsky once again fell unconscious.


	15. Chapter 15

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Fifteen

Several hours passed since Huggy had left for San Diego and Starsky had fallen unconscious again. His fever was growing worse and Hutch was growing more and more worried. After awhile, he could no longer stand sitting down and he eventually began to pace back and forth across the room.

It was getting late into the evening when the phone in the room rang again and Hutch ran over to pick it up. As he did so, Captain Dobey was on the other end of the line and he could hear how exhausted the older man sounded.

"You sound as tired as I feel, Captain," Hutch said quietly. "How are you doing? How's my father doing?"

"We've been working around the clock, but Hutch, that isn't why I called," Dobey answered. "Earlier, dispatch received a call from one of your neighbors, claiming they saw at least three men running out of your apartment after making several crashing sounds. Once I found out about it, I took a squad over to investigate and found that your door had been broken in and your apartment was just as trashed as Starsky's was."

Hutch thought for a moment and then replied, "Nicholson and his men are hunting Starsky. They broke into my place hoping he was there and then trashed it to make a statement in case I came back. The question is, if his resources are as good as they appear to be, why hasn't he found us here at Huggy's yet? Every cop, snitch, and scum knows Starsky and I come here to The Pitts often."

Dobey continued, "That's not all. Huggy's apartment is the same way. We went to check it out just in case and found we were right to do so."

"Nicholson knows Starsky's here and that I'm looking after him," Hutch said. "He's just biding his time to make a move."

"How would he know that?" Dobey asked.

Hutch responded, "I don't know, but it doesn't really matter anymore. Captain, you need to get over here with back up right now. There's no telling how many men he's got with him."

Dobey replied, "We're on our way. Just don't do anything stupid, Hutchinson."

"Don't worry," Hutch answered. "I won't do anything unless I have to."

After Hutch hung up the phone, he pulled out his gun, as well as Starsky's to make sure that both of them were ready to fire in case a fight broke out. He looked over at Starsky, who was still unconscious on the bed, then moved slowly to the door and opened it while pointing his gun directly in front of him. The Pitts was dark and it appeared to be as empty as it has been for more than twenty-four hours now.

Hutch stood at the top of the stairs and looked down until suddenly, a shot was fired from somewhere below, nicking his left arm. Hutch didn't hesitate as he threw himself to the ground on his back and open fired several shots of his own, while making his way back to the room. Once inside, he stood, slammed the door closed, and locked it, knowing full well that the lock would not hold up against whatever number of assailants who would be breaking in before too long. Then, he quickly lowered the flames from the oil lamps Huggy had placed throughout the room in order to make it dark.

"Hand me my gun," Starsky spoke up as he attempted to pull himself from the bed.

"Good to see you're awake again, Buddy, but you're in no position to help me out here," Hutch answered firmly as he rushed over to stop him. "You're way too sick. You can barely move."

Starsky couldn't really argue, but knew that Hutch needed his help, as he replied, "Who was the one who shot Bellamy…that night on the roof to save your skin? As you may recall…I wasn't exactly feeling great then either. You need help."

Hutch smiled as he responded, "Help is on the way, Starsk. Just stay down."

"At least hand me my gun so I can shoot at the next thing that comes through that door," Starsky argued. "We're both blind here, so it's not like it's a question of whether or not I can see."

"Fine, just don't do anything stupid," Hutch said as he carefully hand his partner the gun and helped him to get from the bed to the floor. "We don't know how many men are out there, or how many guns they've got. If we shoot wildly, we'll run out before they do."

Before Starsky could say anything in response, several bullets came splintering through the door. Hutch shoved Starsky closer to the bed and then told him to get underneath for cover as he fired back. Once he emptied his first clip, he slid under the bed next to Starsky, just as the door was kicked in.

Once the men were inside the room, they opened fired as bullets tore the room to shreds, causing the window to shatter, the lamps and other items to crash to the floor, the bed to be ripped apart, and the walls to become riddled with holes.

As they finished firing, one of the men moved to switch on the main lights throughout the room, causing each of them to turn their heads away and cover their eyes as the sudden light blinded them for a minute. That minute was all they needed as Hutch suddenly shouted for Starsky to open fire at the men in the doorway. Once both of their guns were empty, Hutch slowly moved out from under the bed and saw that all of the men were down. Not all of them were dead, but those who were still alive were no longer capable of moving.

Hutch walked over and moved the men's guns from out of their reach, took one for himself, and then went back to help Starsky as he struggled to lift himself from off the floor. Once he was up, he leaned heavily into Hutch as the taller man took on most of his weight. Together, they slowly made their way out of the room and began to walk toward the stairs as Hutch held his gun up in front of them, until suddenly they were both thrown against the wall as Nicholson came up from behind them.

Starsky collapsed to the floor as Hutch fought back against the man who caused so much pain for his partner. He allowed his anger to come out, but Arvin Nicholson was even bigger than he was, making it harder for him to fight against the man. Meanwhile, Starsky struggled as he used the wall to help him to stand upright.

After several kicks and punches were thrown, Arvin managed to knock Hutch down to the floor with a hard blow to the side of his head. Starsky then jumped on the man in order to draw him away from his partner, but he was easily overpowered and thrown up against the wall once again. Nicholson put his hands around Starsky's throat to choke him, until Hutch regained his footing and pulled him away from him.

Starsky remained standing once Nicholson was pulled away, but his vision was fading and he was struggling to breathe. It was then that he could just make out Huggy running up the stairs. As their friend reached him and helped him to stay upright, Nicholson shoved Hutch to the floor, pulled out a knife from his belt, and held it above the detective, preparing to strike.

However, before the torturer could hurt their friend any further, Huggy quickly pulled out a syringe and handed it to Starsky, who suddenly rammed the needle hard into the man's neck, releasing the liquid into his bloodstream. Nicholson screamed as the same drug he had used on Starsky and his other victims burned its way through his own body.

Hutch scrambled out from under the man as he collapsed over him in pain and stiffly walked over to where Starsky now sat on the floor in Huggy's arms, still struggling to breathe. Hutch pulled his partner into his arms as his body began to shake uncontrollably. Whether it was from shock of what he had just done, or the overwhelming pain, Hutch wasn't sure.

"I need you to go call for an ambulance, Huggy!" Hutch shouted as he struggled to keep a hold of him. "Couldn't you have used anything else to distract him with? That was our only sample!"

"He did what…he could," Starsky struggled to get out. "You were…in trouble. I chose to…stab him. Looks like he got…a taste…own medicine."

Hutch gripped him tighter as he whispered, "Hang on, Buddy. Help is on the way. Now we can get you the proper care."

Starsky managed to get out one more word before he could no longer do anything, but struggle with the pain as he quietly said, "Hutch."

Huggy came running back upstairs and said, "An ambulance is on its way. How's he doing?"

"We're going to lose him if he doesn't get the right treatment," Hutch answered angrily.

"Well then I guess it's a good thing I had two syringes of that stuff," Huggy replied as he pulled out another from inside his jacket. "Turns out, Rice had a lot left over from the case. He took it as a way of reminding himself of the terrible things he had done."

"Thank you, Hug!" Hutch responded.


	16. Chapter 16

Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Sixteen

About two and a half weeks later, Hutch walked alongside his father as they walked into the airport and down to the gate, where Kenneth Hutchinson Senior was about to catch a flight back home to Duluth from. His flight was in about fifteen minutes and the passengers were slowly boarding.

Once they cleared the security, Hutch turned to face his father and asked, "Why did you agree to come back to help after I said the things I said to you that night at my partner's apartment?"

His father answered, "Because after you said those things, I realized how wrong I was to treat you and especially Detective Starsky like that. I wanted to call you back to apologize, but I know how hard headed you can be and that you had a lot to deal with at the time. When you called me for my help, I was surprised, but I knew that it was the least I could do to make up for what I had done. Besides, your partner needed my help and I finally saw how much he means to you."

"We're like brothers," Hutch smiled as he replied. "You and mom always said you wished you could have another son."

"Does this mean I have a yearly invitation to the Hutchinson family Christmas parties?" Starsky asked as he came over and stood beside them after he finished parking his car.

Hutch and his father laughed as Hutch responded, "I think you'd find our parties pretty dull, Starsk. However, if you insist on coming, what kind of friend would I be if I tried to stop you?"

Starsky answered, "A very bad one. As it is, you only end up giving me your leftovers. My mom's cooking is good, but your mom's…"

"My wife's cooking is top notch," the older man replied. "I know. You are welcome to Duluth any time, Detective Starsky."

"Please call me, David," Starsky responded. "Thank you for everything you've done to help save my life. I owe you."

Hutchinson Senior shook his head and said, "You don't owe me anything. I'm just happy I could be here. And I'm glad you're all right. My son needs you to watch his back out there on these streets. You're Captain tells me they can be pretty dangerous. I wouldn't trust anyone else to take care of him."

Starsky looked at his partner and then back at his father as he answered, "Thank you, Sir. I promise he'll be all right."

Starsky reached out and shook his hand, after which Hutch pulled his father into a hug. Without another word, the older man walked away to get aboard the plane. Both partners watched the man leave and then turned to head back to where Starsky had parked his car.

Hutch finally spoke up as he asked, "How are you feeling this morning? Are you really sure you're up to going today?"

Starsky looked over at his partner and replied, "I told you a hundred times, Hutch. I'm fine. I've been fine for over a week now."

"You're still having nightmares," Hutch responded. "Don't think I haven't noticed the circles under your eyes from your lack of sleep. And you won't talk to me about it. That scumbag tortured you for more than four days and forced you to relive your worst fears. Anyone would have nightmares. I know I would."

"I have to go today," Starsky said after he turned away. "They're going to sentence Nicholson and I need to be there in order to get him out of my head once and for all."

Hutch nodded as he answered, "They're going to find him guilty. You know that don't you? No one can dispute what he's done."

Starsky angrily replied, "I never wanted to kill someone so badly in my whole life, Hutch. Not until he came back into my life. That night, when he nearly killed you, I had a chance to kill him. I wanted to so…"

"But you didn't, Starsk," Hutch interrupted. "You only gave him only a fraction of what he gave you, which is nothing compared to what he deserves."

"And because of what I did, Internal Affairs are once again trying to nail us," Starsky responded. "It may not be Simonetti or Dryden, but these new guys aren't much better."

Hutch looked out the window and then turned back to his friend as he said, "Dobey said that we're both safe. Your actions saved my life. There was nothing more you could have done. He he's got no more money, thanks to Dobey figuring out where he got his supply from. He has no one left on his side. Today, Nicholson will finally pay for the terrible things he's done and no one will be able to help him."

Starsky snickered as he replied, "You really do know how to cheer a guy up. I appreciate your confidence, but until I see him sentenced for myself, there's nothing that will make me feel better."

"Not even the biggest steak dinner you can imagine?" Hutch answered as they both began to laugh. "Once the trial's over, I'm treating you to this great fancy restaurant. You'll love it. Oh, and just so you know, anyone is better than Simonetti and Dryden rubbing their noses in our business."

"Agreed," Starsky said as he smiled at his partner.

Downtown at the courthouse…

Starsky and Hutch sat on the uncomfortable benches inside the courtroom, waiting for the judge to come out to announce his decision on how to sentence Arvin Nicholson for his crimes, not only the torture and attempted murder of Starsky's life and the attempted murder of Hutch's, but also for torturing and murdering numerous men, women, and children during the Vietnam War.

Nicholson glared at Starsky until the judge finally walked out of his chambers. As he did so, everyone rose and looked directly at him. Hutch placed his hand on Starsky's shoulder for comfort as the man took his seat and banged his gavel as a sign that he was ready to pass sentence.

The judge spoke saying, "After careful consideration, I have made my decision to sentence Arvin Nicholson to death for his numerous and despicable crimes. May God grant you mercy, Sir. For this court and the people whom you have offended surely will not. This court is adjourned."

Hutch squeezed his partner's shoulder as the guards dragged Nicholson from the room. The criminal screamed as they did so, but Starsky paid no attention to the man as he turned and quickly walked out of the room and courthouse in order to get away from the people, as well as the press.

Hutch followed right behind him and once they reached Starsky's car, Hutch asked, "Are you all right?"

Starsky finally turned and looked at him and answered, "I'm relieved and will probably sleep well tonight for the first time since this whole mess began. I just needed to get away from those vultures back there. Is there any chance I can get a rain check on that steak dinner tonight? I think I'd rather just go to Huggy's where it's more comfortable."

"Sure, sure," Hutch replied as they got into the car and began to drive. "It'll be better to be among friends anyway."

"_Zebra 3, come in Zebra 3,_" the radio suddenly roared.

Hutch grabbed the radio and responded, "This is Zebra 3. What do you have for us today, Sweetheart?"

The dispatcher responded, "_There's a 10-71 at the Bay City Bank. Please respond._"

"Are you up for catching us a couple of dirtbags trying to rob a bank?" Hutch asked smugly.

"We're on it, Darling," Starsky answered as he pulled the radio away from Hutch. "Let's roll, Partner."

The End


	17. Thank You

Thank you to all of those who have read and have written reviews for my stories! They are much appreciated. I'm honored to have you all for fans and I hope to hear from you all again in the future, should you choose to read and enjoy more of my work. Best of wishes to you all!

Sincerely,

Genevieve Kelly


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